Also read: Wow. Mawer absolutely rocked it last night

by Jeff Sanford27 Nov 2014

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Also read: Wow. Mawer absolutely rocked it last night

The corporate tag line of Alberta-based Mawer Investment Management Ltd is a nod to the firm’s accent on no-fuss, non-trendy investing: “Be boring. Make money,” is the line. The saying took on a slightly different meaning last night. The Morningstar investment fund awards were held at the Royal York hotel in downtown Toronto. Things got a bit repetitive. It seemed every time Mawer was nominated—and the company was nominated a lot—the firms won. And so the night was one long succession. Mawer would be nominated. Mawer would win. The company’s employees would make another trip to the stage. Sorry about everyone else. It was like the rest of the investment industry got dressed up, came out, and had to stand around while Mawer won all the awards.

The firm, of course, is the Calgary-based company started by founder Charles Mawer (pronounced “Mo-wer”). Forty years into its corporate history the firm carries on the no-fuss, un-trendy approaching to investing that Mr. Mawer favored—being boring works, apparently. The company recently chalked up the best total return stat on the Benefits Canada Top 40 Fund Managers list. Now it has another dozen awards for its burgeoning collection. After the awards, the gang celebrated. The firm’s president Michael Mezei suggested it’s been a long-time coming. “We’re like the band that’s been playing for years that no one knows about,” said Mezei in a quick chat with a WP reporter.

This is the second year running that Mawer won the Morningstar Analysts' Choice Fund Company of the Year award. The company also takes the unofficial award for best acceptance speech. The company’s youngish deputy chief investment officer, Paul Moroz, managed to work in a bit about the 2nd law of thermodynamics into an oddly fascinating address. The nod to the deep physics of the universe had to be a first for this awards show. His acceptance speech drew the most applause of the night. Those millennials…they’re a wacky bunch.

The host of the night was CBC teleprompter reader Peter Mansbridge. He could not avoid the fact that he was appearing in Toronto the very night that fellow-CBCer Jian Ghomeshi showed up at police headquarters to be formally arrested and charged for what turns out to be a tragic and violent love life. Through the afternoon local news in Toronto ran a constant loop of the insane footage of the unruly crowd that surrounded Ghomeshi as he excited the police headquarters. The local news station even dispatched a helicopter to follow the black SUV that transported Ghomeshi from the police station, and so it seemed that Canada was reprising the O.J. Simpson “white bronco” chase through Los Angeles way back in the 1990s. When Mansbridge finally took the mic at the awards show, he had to say something. “It’s a good day to not be at the CBC,” he quipped. The crowd laughed, heartily. It was a memorable night. For those keeping track the official list of wins by Mawer is below. Well done gang. Congratulations and applause is much deserved.

Mawer’s list of wins:

Best Global Balanced Fund:
Mawer Balanced Fund

Best Canadian Equity Fund:
Mawer Canadian Equity Fund

Best Canadian Small/Mid-Cap Equity Fund:
Mawer New Canada Fund

Best International Equity Fund:
Mawer International Equity Fund

Best Global Small/Mid-Cap Equity Fund:
Mawer Global Small Cap Fund

Best Canadian Equity Pooled Fund:
Mawer Canadian Equity Fund

Best Global Equity Pooled Fund:
Mawer Global Small Cap Fund

Best Canadian Small/Mid-Cap Equity Pooled Fund:
Mawer New Canada Fund

Best Global Balanced Pooled Fund:
Mawer Balanced Fund

Best International Equity Pooled Fund:
Mawer International Equity Fund